Alaska mileage plan 2018 strategy
 

I was a long time BA Executive Club Gold (OneWorld Emerald) member when I was living in the UK. I moved to silicon valley in July 2016 but kept crediting my flights to BAEC until March 2017. I then re-evaluated my options and decided to target Alaska Gold 75K. I liked the airline, they have a base in SJC and SFO, nice international partners and for any domestic routes that I can't fly with Alaska, they had American. Lots of earning potential domestically. Starting in April, 2017, I have managed to earn 110K partner qualifying miles. There were a few AA first class segments in there. SJC-PHX-MCO-MIA-SFO, SJC-PHX-JFK-BOS-PHX-SFO and so on.

But in 2018, with the AA partnership ending, I am finding that I may have a number of segments where I can no longer earn Alaska miles. For instance, in January, I have to do SJC-NYC-MCO-SFO. I don't have an Alaska mileage earning option for NYC-MCO and this is probably true for most of east coast. It is kind of difficult for me to estimate how much travel I will be doing on the east coast in 2018 but it could add up. I also travel to Europe at least 2-3 times a year and I was hoping to use Air France/KLM and not the BA club world dorm seat. But that option is also pretty much gone.

At this point, I am just thinking I will continue to target 75K status in 2018. But I hope I don't regret it. I don't see Alaska finding another partner for domestic flights and I don't see them expanding massively out of the west coast. I don't really fancy switching to United or Delta both of whom have bases and routes out of SFO.

Are there any other in a similar situation? What are your thoughts on continuing to target 75K status?

I am in the same boat. For domestic travel it is now a given that you have to fly other airlines to get around the US. I actually don't mind BA CW A380 in the window seat since it is very private. But now that I am losing AA EXP I will no longer get free seat assignments. With AS losing AF/KLM I really think they should get BA to offer seat assignments for AS elites since they do it for all OW elite tiers. All that said it's still a great mileage program and way better than UA so I will go another year.

My thoughts are that I'll be MVPG and DL Gold for 2019. I matched into DL a few months ago (to Platinum, but only hit the Gold part of the challenge for 2018) and given what has happened with the AS partnerships, I don't see 75K for 2019 at this point. I think I'll be fine with this. I like the DL domestic product for the most part, and can get me most places that AS can't (or even can in a premium cabin at a lower price point at times). If you choose the DL match program, read the timing issues carefully. (I don't like the DL program very much otherwise, but the airline has treated me well in my limited experiences.)

For what it's worth, OP, you could fly AA to LHR via LAX in reverse herringbone J and only lose out on the SJC-LAX miles if crediting to AS. But any onward connections, besides incurring the manual boarding pass submission hassle if you've booked them as AA codeshares, will most likely involve a Heathrow terminal transfer, and... ugh.

I've had MVP for the last two years as a PDX-based leisure flyer, and my status is good through the end of 2018. AS has treated me very well, but my upgrades won't come quite so easily here, and with the partnership losses it's just getting harder for me to maintain even base status. I've been flying 50-60k the last three years, but between reduced earning rates on every partner but QF's discount coach fares and travel to places where the AS partner network just doesn't go--TBS, anyone?--or doesn't at reasonable prices for my weird itineraries, I've only been hitting MVP. The loss of DL really hurt, but I suppose the writing was on the wall for me as soon as AA devalued their program and AS earning rates dropped from 100% to follow suit. So far I'm set to earn a measly 6268 AS EQMs next year, and while more bookings will definitely come, I have no chance of hitting 25k.

So, now that I'm in SEA I'm acting as more of a free agent for 2018. I have a few AS bookings where the price was right and I have a shot at an upgrade, but I already have some reservations on B6, AA, and UA. I'm also burning through AS miles while the charts are still good--one AA South America open-jaw in Y a one-way in F/J for next year, plus tentatively US-TYO-SIN on JL and HKG-Europe on CX for 2019. But long-term I'm probably just going shoot for DL SM. My RDM earnings will be terrible, but I'll at least have an easy time earning MQMs at 100% on coach fares (as long as I avoid Basic Economy) from DL and their closest partners, and maybe a shot at GM in years when I'm feeling especially spendy and/or loyal. But I've already done enough fare research for future trips to know DL isn't always the cheapest internationally from SEA, and I'd much rather fly, say, KE or OZ in Y anyway. My only big question for now is if I'll waste my once-in-a-lifetime DL status match to get some benefits in late 2018 or just make do until the next year and get it organically.

That is the key. You don't fancy switching so don't.

My new philosophy is not to be slave to frequent flyer programmes. Unless you have a big expense account, UA and DL earn less.

I like AS a lot, but will consider other airlines depending on the routes. DL (operated by OO) has a good product on its seasonal SEA-PSP flights and with 2-2 seating, one can even fly basic economy and be guaranteed a window or aisle seat. The flight times are often better than AS as well. SEA-LAX/SFO has free alcohol on DL, which is a plus for many passengers as well.

When one's not trying for status, it makes it easier to try different airlines and see what they have to offer.

Out of SEA, AS still has a lot of bulk (unpublished) airfares, which makes last minute leisure travel affordable. I recently learned that DL is doing this as well, but on a more limited basis.

Sadly, that's disappearing on 1/1.

Focusing mostly on AS, to achieve 75k again. From there, HA and Pualani will be next on list.

When I lived in the Bay Area, it was a no brainer for me to focus on UA and *A.

The almost nil partnership with AA is hurting my will and ability to stick with AS. I go to CMH a fews a year and there's no longer a way to get there with AS or partners (unless I find a rare codeshare). Unfortunate that domestic partnerships keep getting killed when AS doesn't have the network to cover and compete without them.

Seems like your travel patterns would allow you to occasionally mix in B6 with AS/AA if you were open to that. You could also credit B6 flights to the HA program.

I am sticking with AS (MVPG) since they are the only/best option from PDX on many of the regional trips I take such as BOI, GEG, FAT, MFR, and Montana. I will occasionally throw in a WN trip if the AS schedule doesn't work.

I am in the same boat. Hit 75k MVP this year. Based out of ORD and fly west about 60-70% of the time. With the AA partnership ending, I am in the same situation. Honestly not to sure what I am going to do.

I was thinking about doing a AA Challenge, but I really like Alaska. Just not sure if it is worth it to continue down only Alaska, and I would have to bank miles in another program when I go east with 0 chance of any status over the course of the year.

1st world problems for sure, but traveling 75-100k per year makes a difference. Oh what to do...

If JFK, BOS, and FLL cover most of your eastbound flying needs, I'd give B6 a shot in addition to AS status--MVP benefits aside, I honestly prefer flying them in coach to AS. Otherwise, if you can pick one of the Big Three, the affinity credit cards take away some of the sting of flying without status. Obviously it's a much bigger difference coming from your status level, but as an MVP who just got an AA Barclaycard, I get to keep my free checked bag and board in the exact same group, and I only really lose out on priority check-in and IRROPS handling.

I know that in 2018, it's very possible that I will not fly AA at all now that they all but ended the AS partnership. AA currently flies from SEA to CLT and MIA and PDX-CLT, routes not duplicated by any other airline. For connecting flights to medium sized and small airports in the south, Midwest, and east that AA flies to, either DL or UA fly there.

So for me, it's AS, DL, WN, and maybe UA. No flying on AA.

This is the real issue. Alaska has a paltry nationwide network everywhere except Seattle, and even then, its still not reaching the smaller locations....the Richmonds, Providences, Memphis, anywhere in Ohio, etc.

I am a free agent this year....Alaska has hosed me. Who will step up? Right now I am on three United RTs in January